This is a story that begins with an ending.
Bethany dreamed of going to Paris. She was a photographer. She wanted to shoot the Eiffel Tower and see the view from the top.
On May 19, 2010, she was working as a customer service agent at Gate 47 in the Denver Airport.
A customer was yelling at her when an artery to her spleen ruptured. Bethany collapsed and died.
She was 30 years old.
She would have found it funny that the person yelling at her was a medical professional and had to be first on scene.
Bethany got a kick out of karma.
We were the best of friends and travel buddies and I kept promising her that someday we would make that trip to Paris.
After Bethany passed away, her mother agreed to let me have some of her ashes so that we could continue to travel the world together.
I was looking for something special to keep her ashes in when I came across a hollow book that said Paris with a picture of the Eiffel Tower on the front.
So technically, part of her is always in Paris and I pack a bit of her with me on every journey.
Later that year, I set off to Paris to take her ashes up the Eiffel Tower.
Closed? Seriously? This might not be as easy as I thought.
I decided to regroup so I spent the next few years scattering her in the most picturesque places I could find and taking photos to mark those spots.
I was ready to try again for the Eiffel Tower but this time a constant rain thwarted the attempt.
The third try looked promising but by the time I got off the elevator at the first level, clouds had swallowed the top of the tower so much for a view from the top.
I was beginning to think that this was Bethany's idea of a joke or revenge and that maybe I would never succeed.
Or maybe I should just focus on the sense of purpose finding those perfect resting places gives me and enjoy all of the journeys along the way.
But a promise is a promise.
And it's a perfect day.
I have to be careful not to attract any attention with all the tourists around and so many guards watching.
I try to be as inconspicuous as possible while placing the ashes. Ironically, right next to the posted sign saying it's illegal to throw anything off the tower or reach beyond the railing.
It took me six years but I finally kept my promise.
Thank you for watching.
